Slytherin: The rebirth
by Emperor Caligula the terrible
Summary: The war with the Dark Lord is finished. His followers are caught and imprisoned. It seems the end of the darkness, and the beginning of a new era of acceptance and peace. And the fall of the Dark house, Slytherin. But its members refuse to fall, and will now make their founder proud and rise once more.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own the HP books or any related nonsense.

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_**Chapter 1: The decision**_

Daphne Greengrass leaned on the railing of her balcony looking over the grounds of Greengrass manor. She observed her little sister by 1 year, Astoria moving in the flower garden picking up flowers, probably to send to her boyfriend's house, both to him and his mother, Draco and Narcissa Malfoy. Daphne also held a letter in her hand, thinking. The envelope it came in had the crest of Hogwarts. The letter said quite plainly, due to the events of the previous term, she was given the opportunity to repeat her seventh year.

She quite agreed with the now Headmistress McGonagall that she should repeat. The previous year was about as useful in her magical education as a blast ended skrewt. With the constant screaming, especially in the dungeons, where her dorm is was one factor. The Carrows making the students use crucio on each other was another. The other houses looking at her and her housemates with distrust, fear and hatred was minor but an issue non the less.

One would say that the era of the death eaters was a time to rejoice for the serpents of Slytherin. It was not. The Slytherins weren't any safer from the wrath of the Carrows. They may have been praised, but the curses were still practiced on them by those that had the guts. Other students who truly hated the green and silver of their robes, the Carrows themselves for punishment. Majority of the teachers didn't help, the happily sent the evil snakes for a well deserving torture curse punishment. Only the Slytherin alumni teachers, Slughorn, Sinistra and Vector, and to a lesser extent Sprout had mercy to forgive the serpents for the crime of being sorted there. And the constant screaming. Even the cold serpents can't stand the screaming, it was too much to bare. Hogwarts was no longer her beloved second home.

Daphne was surprised that she as a Slytherin was allowed to return to Hogwarts. Maybe the famous Gryffindor chivalry was rearing its head in McGonagall. She was thankful but wary. The death eater trials were finally finished. At least for the ones caught in the battle of Hogwarts and since. She had no doubt the smarter ones are in hiding. Many of the criminals were her house mates' parents and she was confused whether those ones would be allowed to return. Or if so, even consider it. Her family had always been neutral in any conflicts in history, and the war with the Dark Lord was no exception. She and her sister were safe from the snooping aurors, though it didn't stop them from snooping.

In this new world run by Gryffindors and worshipers of Potter and Dumbledore, Daphne had no doubt they would be a small group of prey to feed the ravenous lions, eagles and badgers. She wondered whether school was safe for the Slytherins. They had always been ostracized by majority of the teachers. But now it would be downright hatred and she was sure that the perpetrators from other houses would possibly even get points for bullying of any of the serpents.

It was not as if they didn't deserve all the distrust. Daphne and her housemates were always treated with contempt by other students, why not hit them back with even more contempt. They acted superior, better because they were alone. Because of their blood, and their preconceived notions. Thinking of all the qualities of Slytherin, purity of blood was next to useless in the long run, but due to their stupidity, many thought it was all they needed to be true Slytherins, forgetting that there were purebloods even in Gryffindor, not even trying to assimilate the qualities of the house in their character.

Daphne despaired for her house, cursed the Dark Lord and his followers and insulted whoever came up with blood purity. All it was was a means to carnage and death for loved ones. She wondered what would happen of her house. Would it dissolve into ether, remembered for its darkness and hatred and evil eventually. This thought was almost enough to dissolve her to tears. She could cry in private, let it all out. Her home would die dishonourably, just like their protector, Severus Snape.

The house of serpents had always been strong. Even when filled with cowards pretending to be homicidal, they always persevered through the insults, curses and tears. The snake could survive anywhere and thrive in health there. It just had to adapt. Daphne felt her resolve building into icy certainty. She would need a plan to help her house, and she would need help from the serpents with the toughest scales. She felt the beginnings of a plan forming in her head, and it was not only a good plan, it was a plan worthy of a True Slytherin. She needed to write some letters.

The Ice Queen has decided to build her empire once and for all. And it would never melt.


End file.
